LAKE KIVU
Ever thought of visiting Lake Kivu? This stunning lake is located at the border of the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) and Rwanda. It is the seventh biggest freshwater lake in Africa and the largest fresh water in Rwanda.
The lake was formed by volcanic activity about 1-5 million years ago when melted magma from within the Earth’s upper mantle finds its way to the surface. And then the hole is filled with rainwater to form a lake.
Visiting this lake offers you history and information about the German Count Adolf von Gotzen in 1894 who first visited the lake. Since then it has maintained its historical importance for being caught up in the conflict between Hutu and Tutsi people in Rwanda, and their allies in DR Congo, which led to the 1994 Rwandan Genocide, including the first and second Congo wars. Lake Kivu gained notoriety as a place where many of the victims of the genocide were dumped.
It is a luxurious stopping point between Volcanoes National Park and Nyungwe Forest National Park; Lake Kivu is a great place to spend a few days just soaking in the serenity of one of Africa’s most beautiful regions without going to Mombasa and Zanzibar beaches.
Lake Kivu is one of the finest lakes in the middle of Albertine rift valley, within the great lakes region of Africa. Being a freshwater body, it pours its water in River Ruzizi which flows and pours its water in Lake Tanganyika. Its depth is 480m and this makes it the eighteenth deepest lake in the world and covers an area surface of approximately 2,700sq.km making it the eighth biggest in Africa.
Lake Kivu has minerals like methane which is believed to be a cheap source of energy both for export and home use. Also, there has been the extraction of gas used in the nearby city of Gisenyi mostly in brewery industries.
The lake is surrounded by three main cities and these are; Kamembe / Rusizi in the south, Kibuye in the middle and Gisenyi further north. This makes it easy to access the lake in all corners with convenient connecting road network.
It is a beautiful gateway for the tourist looking for hydro and shoreline experiences, offering beautiful islands such as the Idjwi, Goma (Congo), Bukavu (Congo) forming an archipelago where world’s tenth-largest inland island lies in Lake Kivu good for beach activities like swimming, bird watching, sunbathing among others.
A safari to Lake Kivu is rewarding as you participate in different activities of your choice such as boat cruises, swimming, fishing, relaxation and chilling out, water sports, biking and biking and coffee tours. These offer the best adventures while on your safari to Rwanda and particularly Lake Kivu.
Best time to visit Lake Kivu in Rwanda.
Visiting Lake Kivu can be done throughout the year but travellers are advised to visit during one of the two dry seasons. One starts from June to September which seems to be a longer drier season, while the other begins in December until mid – February which is a shorter dry season.
Booking with us a short vacation to Lake Kivu is the best way you can enjoy and have a memorable time in the land of a thousand hills, Rwanda
